Storm Barbara sweeps in with severe gales

The high winds continue to cause serious disruption to ferry sailings in and around Orkney as Storm Barbara arrives.

Orkney Ferries, Pentland Ferries, and NorthLink Ferries have all announced major timetable changes and a series of cancellations.

Passengers intending to travel should check company websites for further information.

Links to ferry companies, and Kirkwall Airport, can be found on the Operational Links section of The Orcadian website.

The wet and windy weather is a result of a succession of deep Atlantic low pressure systems.

The forecast issued this morning, Friday, is for gusts of 55-65 mph expected widely, with occasional gusts of 70 mph across more exposed parts of the Scottish mainland and 80 mph in the Northern Isles.

Whilst the worst of the strong winds associated with Storm Barbara will have passed on Friday, winds are expected to remain sufficiently strong through part of Christmas Eve to bring some further disruption to travel, added the Met Office.

The inshore waters forecast for the 24 period, issued earlier this morning, predicts that winds will be southerly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 north, then veering westerly.

The outlook for the following 24 hours gives westerly or south-westerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in the north, backing southerly 5 or 6 for a time later.